Bear speaks: 'I didn't bite him, I'd know if I bit someone's ear'
Adrian Proszenko
August 29, 2010
EXCLUSIVE
NORTH SYDNEY fullback Mitchell Stevens claims he punched off - rather than bit off - part of the ear of Balmain Ryde forward Jason Schirnack in what is shaping as one of the most heated hearings in years.
The incident, which occurred in a NSW Cup encounter last Sunday, will go before the NSWRL judiciary on Wednesday night after Stevens changed his plea from guilty to not guilty. Schirnack claimed Stevens bit off a chunk of his ear, and his club is set to tender evidence, including photos and a doctor's report, supporting the allegation.
Speaking for the first time about the incident, Stevens denied the claim and said he decided to contest the charge after he was compared with infamous biters Mike Tyson and Newtown forward Frank ''Bumper'' Farrell, a distant relative.
''There is no doubt in my mind that I didn't bite him, I'd know if I bit someone's ear,'' Stevens told The Sun-Herald. ''My mouthguard was in all the time, you don't see my mouthguard come out at all. I had no blood around my mouth whatsoever.''
Stevens claimed the damage to Schirnak's ear was the result of a blow.
''People heard the punch throughout the entire ground, it was a solid blow,'' he said. ''When I saw the chunk out of his ear, I was like 'can you punch a piece of ear off?'''
Stevens said he was ''shocked'' by the biting allegation and claimed Schirnack was the aggressor in their stoush.
''He lashed out, maybe twice, and he hit me on the jaw,'' Stevens said. ''He gets up and plays the ball and we stood face to face. I'm not sure what happens in between there, but he grabs me by the jumper.
''I thought 'there's a fight here', so I punched him in the ear. He's sort of gone back a little bit. I've grabbed him, lifted his leg and tackled him onto the ground. When I was on the ground there was a whole bunch of players jumping on top of me.
''To protect myself I put a wrestling grappling move on him that you learn at footy training … When the fight was all over and I just got pulled up, I walked back and looked down on my arm. I had blood all down my right forearm from his left ear, from clenching [him]. The [referee] called us over. I heard people across from me saying 'look at your ear, he's bit ya!' He realised there was blood there and gone to the ref 'he's bitten me' … I was shocked that I was getting a biting call. I'd know if I bit someone.
''He didn't scream or struggle. If someone was getting bit on the ear - if it was me - I'd be trying to get away. At no stage was I close enough to the left side of his face to do a bite.''
The Sun-Herald has witnessed footage of the incident and obtained a letter from Tigers doctor Scott Burne, which concluded: ''It is my professional opinion that there is only one explanation for this wound … that his ear wound was caused by the opponent biting his ear …''
Stevens cited legal expenses, club advice and the opportunity to earn a 25 per cent reduction for an early guilty plea as reasons for not immediately contesting the charge. However, the 21-year-old changed his mind when the weight of the allegations hit home, fearing the stigma of being labelled a biter would forever tarnish his name.
''They started comparing me to Mike Tyson and 'Bumper' Farrell, who was actually my grandfather's godfather, so there's a slight relation there,'' Stevens explained. ''But I don't look like those blokes and carry myself like those blokes. I was pretty angry when I heard the Tigers staff and coach label me a disgrace. I'm hearing on the radio that I should be banned for life. I didn't think it was going to blow up this big.''
The game threatened to explode following the incident, Stevens claiming that Tigers players wanted retribution for the alleged bite. He said he was stunned that Schirnack wasn't cited for breaking the nose of Bears halfback Jarryd Hogan in an alleged high tackle. Asked if he tried to speak to Schirnack after the game, Stevens said: ''In the line I went to shake his hand and he said 'I'm not shaking your hand … Enjoy your suspension'.
''I basically told him to f–- off and walked away.''
However, it wasn't the end of the matter. Stevens claimed he bumped into several Tigers players at a nightclub in Cronulla on Friday night.
''Three of them approached me, individually, throughout the night, basically saying the same thing: 'We never take anything off the field, but your a dead c---, you better watch your back','' Stevens said. ''They said it wasn't the end of it because they were under the impression I bit him. All I can say is that I didn't.''
